


inhale me, exhale us

by allhailqueenmacaron



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Falling In Love, Getting to Know Each Other, I love them so much, M/M, changkyun just wants to go home, hoseok is a businessman, hyungwon is a model, hyunwoo is a loyal boyfriend, minhyuk is the comedic relief because i love picking on him, soulmates are drawn to each other through scents, they are drawn across the world to each other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-06-13 15:09:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15367317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allhailqueenmacaron/pseuds/allhailqueenmacaron
Summary: Eiscents (pronounced like, “essence”), are pheromone-like chemicals that characterize your natural body scent to others. With a potency 100 times greater than the average human pheromone, its unpredictable release from the body has the ability to draw one’s soulmate to them across limitless distances.Luckily for Hoseok, he has a lot of mileage points racked up to make the journey.





	1. lost and found

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rainbow_osha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbow_osha/gifts).



> For the record, eiscents are not real. I'm not sure if anyone thought they were, but if they were that'd be pretty damn cool and I'd be pretty damn rich for discovering them lol. Happy reading ^.^

When Hyungwon released his  _eiscent_ , he hadn’t realized what was happening at all. Not until a good friend of his kindly pointed out that the room had begun smelling strongly of cherry blossoms.

Releasing an  _eiscent_  will cause those nearby to yield an automatic, bodily response to its effects. The less degrees of separation you are from the person releasing their  _eiscent_ , the more potent the smell becomes.

So when Hyungwon lowered his mask, just enough for his nose to pop out, and the overwhelming smell of cherry blossoms assaulted his senses, he suddenly became aware of the magnitude of the situation.

“Oh shit,” Hyungwon cursed aloud, frantically trying to zip up his jacket, covering as much exposed skin as he could to reign in his _eiscents_.

His friend, who he’d been shopping with at the time, leaned over toward him, sniffing at Hyungwon’s nape curiously. The nape of the neck is apparently the place on the body where the smell of someone’s eiscents is the strongest. 

And boy, was Hyungwon’s nape smelly.

“Wow, your eiscent is so nice, hyung,” Changkyun said, awe evident in his voice. A strong blush began creeping up his cheeks, feeling unusually giddy all the sudden, like butterflies had just been set free in his tummy.

People around them began smiling, giggling and blushing; undoubtedly their reaction to a nearby  _eiscent_ , otherwise known as  _eiscents effect_. The smell of cherry blossoms spread quickly through the mall, carried with the breeze produced by air-conditioners blowing out air as cold as the arctic.

Hyungwon looked on at passerbys, and let his mask snap back over his nose. He had to admit, his eiscent effect was quite pleasant. Especially compared to Kihyun’s, who had everyone gagging and doubling over with the smell of overripened bananas coating their airways.

“What the hell even triggered it?” Hyungwon grumbled, bundling up in his black hoodie like his life depended on it.

Changkyun shrugged, “No one knows. It’s unpredictable when or why we release them.”

“Clearly.” Hyungwon scowled.

For people in the vicinity, _eiscent_  effects don’t last very long. Maybe 15 minutes, give or take. But for the releaser, scents will supposedly persist until they’ve encountered their soulmate.

“Oh stop pouting, will you? Your eiscent is like a special edition perfume from Dolce&Gabana. Be thankful you got a good one.”

“I’m really more of a Balenciaga kind of guy.”

Changkyun sighed, “Anyways, guess you’ll be off the market soon! Minhyuk’s gonna  _freak_  — ”

“No!” Hyungwon blurted, sitting upright, “You cannot tell him. He’ll just get in the way of things.”

“Ho ho sounds like someone actually believes in soulmates now, huh? You worried your precious other half won’t find you if Minhyuk intervenes?” Changkyun snorted, poking at Hyungwon through his hoodie.

“I’ll believe it when they show up at my door. And also, tracking your soulmate across the globe is hard enough. I don’t need Minhyuk’s eiscent rubbing off on me and messing things up.”

“Well wherever the guy is, he better get here fast. I’m already tired of your grumpy ass,” Changkyun laughed and stood up from the bench they were on, “Come on, let’s go home.”

Hyungwon couldn’t agree more.

_______ 

When his soulmate released his  _eiscents_ , Hoseok was in Paris for a conference. He was in a quaint cafe a block from the office building his meeting was held in. 

The waiter had just set down his Americano, and as the first sip of coffee washed over his tongue, he couldn’t help but frown at the sweet taste of cherry blossom milk taking over his palate.

He raised a hand, “Excuse me? Would you be able to make me a fresh one? I think someone might have pumped in some syrup or sweetened milk on accident.”

But when the waiter came back with a new, steaming cup of coffee, Hoseok was met with the scent of cherry blossoms for a second time. Sweet, floral notes wafted up his nostrils instead of the earthy, bitter ones characteristic of his morning coffee.

Hoseok raised his hand again, a little more irritable in the mornings than he’d like to admit before his daily dose of caffeine.

“Yes, sir? Is everything tasting right this time?” The waiter asked, gulping nervously.

Hoseok sighed softly, “Well, not exactly. Would you taste this for me and tell me if you taste cherry blossom syrup?”

So the waiter drank, tasting carefully, and set his cup down on the saucer again.

“This tastes like an Americano, sir,” the waiter said, then smiled warmly down at him, “Correct me if I’m wrong but, if you’re not wearing cherry blossom scented cologne, then I believe your soulmate has just released their eiscent.”

_Eiscent effect_. He thought suddenly, eyes wide as he ran through the waiters words in his head one more time.

Hoseok was speechless. 

There were many times he thought his soulmate had released their  _eiscents_. The first time it happened was when he was in Dublin. The smell of citrus and applewood permeated the conference hall for hours, and it seemed to follow him around wherever he went. But it ended up being his colleague instead, who was releasing his complimentary, identical  _eiscents_  in response to his soulmate’s. After that, he’d learned to brush off any scents he picked up, because each time he hoped it was his turn, it never was.

Hoseok sat in wonderment, resting back against his chair. This was really happening.

The scent of blooming cherry blossom trees had never smelled so beautiful. He felt his cheeks warm up, his heart racing in his chest.

As cheesy as it sounded, his soulmate was calling out to him.

“Congratulations.” The waiter laughed, “The coffee is on the house. I hope you’ll meet them soon!”

“Yeah,” Hoseok mumbled absentmindedly, hurrying to gather his things, “Me too.”

He left a generous tip next to his untouched Americano and rushed out of the cafe soon after, the sweet smell of cherry blossom flowers trailing behind him like leaves in the wind.

_______ 

“And that, is how I met Hyunwoo!” Minhyuk smiled, looking very proud.

Turns out, there was no real way of keeping this secret from Minhyuk. Probably because he reeked of flowers and springtime and it was the middle of August. Hyungwon barely had a foot through his apartment door when Minhyuk came barreling into the room with the biggest, most annoying grin he’s ever seen. And Hyungwon has seen far too many of those.

They were having coffee together at the small dinner table they had in the kitchen, and Minhyuk had just finished telling Hyungwon how he met his soulmate. 

Two  _agonizing_  hours later.

“So, in a nutshell,” Hyungwon drawled, unamused, with his cheek smushed into his knuckles as he slumped against the table, “You were drawn to each other... in the shitter.”

Minhyuk groaned, frowning, “Now why would I sit you down for all this time and tell you the romantic odyssey that is my love life, for you to ruin it like that?”

Hyungwon blinked disinterestedly, “I mean, I’m right, aren’t I?”

Like the sunshine coming out after a heavy rainfall, Minhyuk’s face lit up, giving just two enthusiastic nods and a “ _mm hmm!_ ”

“He was tucking in that thick, juicy package when I came right up to him at the urinal.” Minhyuk said, all dreamy and googly-eyed.

Hyungwon groaned into his cup across the table, utterly disgusted, “How Shakespearean.”

“A love story unparalleled.”

“Unparalleled indeed.”

Hyungwon sat there sipping at his now cold coffee as his roommate continued blessing him with riveting, overtly vivid accounts of the time he met his soulmate, Hyunwoo. 

He could barely hear Minhyuk speaking anymore after awhile, mind all hazy and fuzzy from the intoxicating smell of his  _eiscent_  lulling him to sleep. Hyungwon thought of the day’s events and it’s implications as he began dozing off.

The thing with  _eiscents_  is that once they’re released, there’s this powerful gravitational force transcending time and space that’s set off somewhere in the universe. And without a doubt, it will bring these soulmates to each other, whether they like it or not, regardless of what they’re doing at the time. It’s like an itch that you can’t reach, one that can only be soothed by your other half’s presence and embrace.

So it’s totally unsurprising that Minhyuk had dropped everything, namely shits, pulled up his pants, and burst out of his bathroom stall with the force of a thousand monsoons trying to find Hyunwoo. Who had been relieving himself at the urinal, only a meter or two away.

_I wonder where they are right now_. 

_..._

_Are they coming to find me?_

Hyungwon fell asleep before his heart could give him an answer, and let a deep sleep blanket his consciousness until the sun rose high in the sky the following day. 

_______ 

Hoseok wasn’t sure how to go about this.

After all, this was his first and only time hunting down his soulmate, so there was no experience to be relied on really. All anyone ever had was this strange sense of longing, desperation, and desire rooted deep within the human pysche. Some argue that it lies at the center of the soul. But no matter the origin, it was a force to be reckoned with. It tugged on people’s heartstrings and left them aching, looking for the one thing, the one person, to calm their storm.

And he felt that  _ache_. With every breath he took, with every heartbeat. From his head to his toes, he feels it constantly. He’s felt it since that day in the cafe, and he felt it now as he sat in front of his laptop, staring sadly at a map of the world.

_Where are you?_

_Just let me find you. Please._

He didn’t know what he was looking for, a possible sign, a clue that would lead him in the right direction. But nothing stood out to his tired, dry eyes.

With a sigh, he resigned to continuing his search tomorrow, closing his laptop with more force than he intended. A cup full of pencils and a few books piled on top of each other very poorly all slid off his desk in a heap, thudding to the floor. He paid no mind though, collapsing onto the couch he had recently moved into his study.

It would seem he’d be sleeping there more often for the foreseeable future, too tired to make it to his bed. Plus, a nap was all he could afford for now. He palmed the back of his neck thoughtfully, and the fresh scent of cherry blossoms wrapped around him like a scarf as his eyes fluttered shut.

When he awoke, it was dark, the sun having vanished long ago and replaced with the ethereal glow of silvery moonlight seeping through the blinds covering his window. Hoseok cupped his throat and gave a dry swallow, standing up to find some water.

All he’d been drinking for the past few days were Americanos. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt the cool wash of water grace his parched mouth, feeling especially sticky after just waking up. Call him a fool for hoping it would aid him in his findings, that maybe the rich smell of his 7/11-brand coffee grinds would guide him somewhere.

Hoseok hadn’t considered that “somewhere” would be his kitchen sink, but not before it lead him straight into that pile of books and miscellaneous writing utensils from before. His foot caught on the edge of a thick travel guide booklet, falling to the floor with a crash. The books scattered wider apart.

“Jesus, fuck me,” Hoseok groaned, voice rough with sleep, and rolled over, stumbling around in the dark for the light switch.

The lamp beside his desk flickered on, and Hoseok shielded his eyes from the brightness. He completely forgot about the mess he’d left on the floor of his study, crouching down to start cleaning it up. After a minute, he’d almost successfully separated the last of his generic brand pens from his Mont Blanc designer ones when he noticed the travel guide again, lying open face down on the wooden floor an armslength away. 

Wherever business traveled, Hoseok followed. So it was only reasonable to invest in a travel booklet for the sake of his job.

His knees popped one after the other under his weight as he crawled over to retrieve it. He picked it up gingerly, so as to not lose the page it fell open on, and flipped it over. With his back turned to the light, his bulky shadow darkened the pictures and words printed in front of him. As he turned around, he smoothed a hand over the crumpled ear of the right page, flattening it down to read the title of the chapter. 

_Seoul, Incheon, South Korea_

He plopped down beside the lamp with a punctuated “ _oof_ ” and blinked sleepily at the little blurbs and photographs listed on the page. These were all the tourist attractions, famous restaurants and festivals to see when visiting for the first time.

“Ooh, barbecue.” Hoseok squinted at the picture of meat steaming on a large platter, salivating a little. As he swallowed his spit he was reminded of the dryness plaguing his throat again, “But water first.”

He set the book down and pushed himself up in one fluid motion. Blood rushed past his ears and his vision went dim around the edges from the sudden change in position, steadying himself against the desk as his heart jump-started in his rib cage and scrambled to stabilize his blood pressure. He closed his eyes, taking a moment to stand still and remember. 

That’s right. He’d fallen asleep after countless hours of researching online how to solve his problem, to which, Google had been very little help. For it being so essential to the governing of human hearts, Hoseok was surprised that no one’s written a user manual on this already.  _How to Sniff Out Your Soulmate_. Or  _Eiscents for Dummies 101_.

The fan was set to low, gently pushing the air around his study back and forth. He took a deep breath.

“What am I missing?” Hoseok breathed deeply, acutely aware of the ache in his chest and the scent on his nape as his body came alive after his nap.

The sound of a page rustling behind him caught his attention and he looked over his shoulder where he’d set the book down on his desk. The breeze from the fan must have flipped the page over.

Hoseok turned fully to read it. 

_Incheon Grand Park Cherry Blossom Festival_

As if the pastel pink flowers had jumped right out of the page and grew a new tree for itself in the middle of Hoseok’s cold, bleak study, the sweet smell of blooming cherry blossoms filled the air. His  _eiscents_  started flooding out of him like water bursting from a dam, rippling all around him like ribbons falling loose from their bow. It left the skin at the back of his neck tingling, prickling almost uncomfortably with the intensity of his  _eiscents_ release.

Hoseok laughed breathlessly, lungs so full with air so sweet.

After all this time, it was finally his turn.

He booked a one-way ticket to Seoul soon after, and as he lied in bed, wide awake, he was surprised to note how he was no longer thirsty, quenched with the notion that he would be meeting his one and only in three days time. 

_______ 

“Ow, fucking hell,  _ow!_ ” 

Heavy footsteps grew louder and louder, fast approaching, as Minhyuk all but bulldozed the door to their bathroom down, eyes wide with panic. 

“What’s wrong? Hyungwon! Are you okay?”

Minhyuk shoved their blue and white checkered curtain to the side to reveal a naked Hyungwon showering. Between the both of them, Hyungwon’s scream was definitely louder despite Minhyuk’s high-pitched screeching. He quickly yanked the curtain back into place, covering his bits.

“What in the - Minhyuk, get out! I’m showering!” Hyungwon barked angrily, finger pointing to the exit.

Minhyuk raised his hands up innocently, “I just heard you yelling and it sounded like you were in pain, so I came in to check on you!”

The look on his roommates face could rival any puppy pout, and Hyungwon simmered down on a long exhale.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks for worrying,” his attention was brought back to the unfamiliar prickling at the nape of his neck, “I think something’s happening.”

He rubbed over his nape, massaging the bones there that lie at the top of his spinal cord. Hyungwon shivered a little as he watched the section of the mirror closest to the door slowly un-fog, steam from his shower leaking into the hallway.

“Are you getting your period?” A deeper voice rumbled from the kitchen.

It was Hyunwoo. The awkward papa bear had come bearing gifts for his beloved around dinner time, which consisted of greasy takeaway pizza and beer that tasted too bitter on his tongue.

Minhyuk’s lips formed into an O-shape, “Yeah, Hyungwon-ah, are you getting your period?”

“I’m sorry to break this to you, but I have not nor will I ever own a uterus, Minhyuk.” He deadpanned, too dumbfounded to be angry.

“What do the planets have to do with this?”

_Oh my god._

_He’s thinking of Uranus._

_Instead of uterus. Oh my GOD -_

Hyungwon could feel his brain cells frying as he tried for the umpteenth time to understand the inner workings of his roommate’s mind. And like many other times, he gave up, surrendering to the insanity before he even started.

“Please leave. And shut the door behind you.” Hyungwon raked a hand through his wet hair, pushing it from his eyes.

Minhyuk grinned, eyebrows wiggling up and down, “Okay! I have some Advil if you need something for the cramps!”

The water spraying from the shower head ran hot enough to make his skin bloom a reddish-pink. He reached out for the knob and was met with some resistance when it refused to turn further. The  _pitter patter_  of water hitting his body combined with the heat of the spray did little to distract from the incessant tingling though. 

His nape. It was always his nape taking the brunt of the beating.

His  _eiscents_  had been flaring up on and off from the day he first released it, but never has it felt like this. It started acting up when he was shampooing, cherry blossoms sweetening the already fragrant shower gel he was steadily massaging through his hair.

As he stepped out and towelled himself dry, Hyungwon thought about how he should have asked Minhyuk what he made of it, this tingling. Having already found his soulmate, he’s bound to know what was happening to Hyungwon.

Next time, he’ll put his pride aside and ask.

Even so, without knowing what it was, Hyungwon wasn’t afraid. Though his heart quickened and his stomach was busy tying itself into knots, his instincts were actually keeping him grounded, steering him away from what would usually throw anyone into a panic.

There was no anxiety, no fear. His insides burned with the purest energy, made fathomable to the human body by presenting itself as  _excitement_  and  _desire_. He felt antsy, like he needed to go somewhere, do something, anything to keep this hopefulness alive within him. 

_Are they trying to speak to me?_

_Is this a pretense?_

When Hyungwon thought about it, his whole life before this was exactly that: a pretense. Preparation for what was truly the reality. Wandering through time, seeing things, meeting people, learning ways, to prepare him for the biggest moment of his life. Shaping him into the soulmate he was meant to be for his other half.

The only question left unanswered was...

...when? 

_______ 

“Sweet,” Hoseok whispered quietly to himself.

These conferences were always so boring.

This time, however, he had a feeling that the meeting he was currently attending wouldn’t be as boring as he imagined.

The masks were the shining star of today’s conference call, worn by everyone around the table except for him. Ever since Hoseok’s literal run-in with his travel guidebook, his  _eiscent_  had become increasingly potent as days passed. Hence the masks. Originally he did offer to just be phoned in to the video call, since their other branch in Germany had to be too, but his boss insisted he stay.

And well, here they are.

Hoseok sat in his chair, trying to hide how delighted he was when he received an e-mail a few minutes ago that enclosed a receipt for his plane ticket. 

_Congratulations!_

_You’ve used 50,000 Mileage points. Click here to for more offers and promotions on our services._

_Have a safe flight!_  

Thanks to these boring business meetings, he’d accumulated enough miles since he started working for his ticket to Seoul to be nearly free of charge.

It was going to be a time crunch but Hoseok would be damned if this meeting made him late, although he wasn’t exactly sure what for. Things seemed to be wrapping up though, and the ending question was directed to him.

“Hoseok,” his boss tapped at the charts he’d been assigned to being projected onto the screen, “How are things looking?”

Hoseok took a moment and glanced around the room at all his colleagues. They were witnessing the impossible, right under their noses. How a person he’s never met before could draw him across the world, resetting his heart to beat to the rhythm of his soulmate’s as well as his own. And all they could think about were his sales analysis.

All things considered, Hoseok answered truthfully.

“Everything is splendid.”

And everything really did feel splendid.

Everything felt serenely surreal as he watched the city below him grow smaller and smaller, turbulence shaking his seat only a little but not enough to rouse him from his daydream.

_Just a little longer._  

_______ 

Hyungwon hadn’t gone shopping or anywhere highly populated for the past few days, just lying low until his  _eiscent_  calmed down. Changkyun had come to visit him and keep him alive, thankfully, bringing him good food and even better company. Kihyun stopped by once, but only to make fun of him, clean up his apartment, and then leave shortly after.

More urgently, today’s lunch would be the last of his leftovers, and he would be forced to venture outside for tonight’s meal. Also, he needed fresh air that didn’t smell like springtime all the time. The flowery perfume cloud that constantly loomed around him was starting to get on his nerves. But Minhyuk found a new talent of his that should have been obvious from the start. 

Air freshening.

“Hey! Hyungwon, can you come stand in the bathroom for a minute? I just took a dump and it smells.” Minhyuk called from the hallway, peering around the corner into the living room where Hyungwon was standing, about to leave.

_What is it with him and bathrooms?_

_And dumps??_

Hyungwon glared, “No.”

“Pleaseee?”

“I said no.”

“Ugh fine,” Minhyuk waved him away, disappearing again, “But when you go out for dinner, do you mind grabbing some of those Glade candles? I think they’re having a BOGO sale.”

“Whatever,” Hyungwon rolled his eyes, fishing inside his pocket for his keys, “I’ll be back soon.”

He slipped on his tennis shoes and closed the door behind him with a soft  _click_. It was late evening already, so there shouldn’t be too many people around at the local seafood market. The thought of freshly grilled shrimp made his tummy growl loud enough for him to slap a hand over his navel, shh-ing and patting down the big pocket sewn into the front of his hoodie.

Without a mask, his  _eiscent_  smelled unbearably strong, but hopefully it would work to his advantage with the old market ladies. Maybe they’d give him a couple extra shrimps, smiling and blushing behind the grill as they flamed his dinner good.

He could already picture it, hurrying down the stairs toward the ground level of his apartment complex. 

_______

Seoul was just as beautiful as Hoseok remembered it.

Or at least, that’s what he would have said if not for the six-lane car accident trapping him on the freeway for the past hour.

“Sorry, sir, I hope you weren’t in a hurry. This might take a while to clear up.” His taxi driver sounded apologetic.

“It’s alright, no worries.” Hoseok hoped he sounded sincere despite the nervousness. He’s been on edge ever since his flight touched down a few hours ago.

The first thing he did after picking up his luggage was call his mother and tell her of the news. She was absolutely ecstatic, laughing and crying all at once. With a congratulations and a promise of dinner with his soon-to-be soulmate, Hoseok wished her goodnight and slid into the backseat of his taxi.

His knees bounced without rhythm as he sat staring out the window. The stars gleamed delicately against the navy blue backdrop of the night sky above him, while the bazaars and markets below shined with a different kind of light, full of life and energy.

For it being so late, there were so many people out and about still.

He heaved a sigh and let his head fall back against the headrest, closing his eyes.

This might be more difficult than he thought. 

_______ 

“Why are there so many people out still?” Hyungwon grumbled under his breath.

He huffily made his way through the throngs of hungry customers, eyeing the seafood shack he frequents every other day. It’s been a while since he last visited though. ( _“Oh please, it’s barely been a week. Don’t be so dramatic, hyung,” Changkyun rolled his eyes at him earlier._ ) The time between his  _eiscent_  flare-ups have been getting shorter and shorter, and it didn’t seem like it’d be getting better anytime soon. So he made the executive decision when he'd arrived at the market street to suck it up and deal all the pushing and shoving that came along with these visits. 

_Do it for the shrimp._  

_Do it for the shrimps._  Hyungwon mentally chanted to himself.

These night markets were a choice favorite for him and his friends because their finds were cheap, bountiful, and tasty. They’d stop by after a night out and stuff their faces with greasy things on sticks and dare each other to swallow the slimy, squirting sea creature hanging off their chopsticks. They never would get bored, with so many different kinds of food to choose from.

Consequently, the smoke and steam and fragrances wafting off the grills at each stall would also thoroughly cover up the cherry blossom scent covering every inch of his body. He still took precautions though, wearing his trusty black and red Balenciaga hoodie to hold in some of the stench.

When he reached that glorious stall, he removed the hood from his head, running a hand through his hair to ruffle it a smidge.

“Hi, can I place an order for three dozen shrimps, please? The jumbo ones.” 

Hyungwon made sure to flash his nicest smile because that along with the effect of his  _eiscent_  was bound to land him a free meal.

Low and behold, a tell-tale blush crept up the woman’s face, giggling and nodding shyly at his request. At the end of the transaction, he’d forked over a measly 10,000 won after the hefty discount she offered him.

He walked from the stall with three boxes of freshly grilled shellfish all to himself, opting to walk the long way home to enjoy the scenery and his savory shrimp. 

_______

“Thank you for driving me. Have a nice night.” Hoseok waved the driver off.

A glance at his Mont Blanc  _Heritage Chronométrie_  told him it was well past midnight. He should be sleepy, but the anticipation and jet lag was keeping him more alert than he would be even after his morning Americano. He’d have to order another taxi to take him to his hotel from here, but he wanted to see one thing first.

He turned around and squinted at the glow of lights just over the hill, burning a warm, golden yellow only a staircase away. 

His nape came alive again, cherry blossoms washing over his every sense, flowing through his veins. Even his sense of taste was filled with the pale pink flowers, the sweet, bitter nectar gracing his tongue. He was a little worried at the end of this that he might turn into a cherry blossom tree himself, with how much he seemed to already resemble one.

He took a deep breath and walked forward, carrying with him a heavy heart and equally heavy footsteps. 

_______

“ _You’re a fool, Chae Hyungwon._ ” Minhyuk giggled delightedly over the phone.

Hyungwon scowled, trying to juggle his cell phone and the cumbersome boxes of shrimp he so greedily ordered. He should’ve known even with his gnarly appetite tonight, he could only ever finish two at most.

“How was I supposed to know cherry blossom season only lasted for two fucking weeks?”

He sulked as he dragged his feet down the street in the park lined with barren cherry blossom trees on either side. Not a petal in sight.

So much for scenic route.

“ _Cherry blossoms peak around March or April, depending on the year._ ” Hyunwoo piped up in the background, voice a little broken up on speaker, “ _What month is it now, Hyungwon?_ ”

He glared at the strings of fairy lights wrapped around the naked branches on every tree, a sad, artificially-sparkly attempt at making up for the lack of those pretty pink flowers.

“August.” He gritted out from between his teeth, feeling his head throb with his own idiocy.

“ _Just eat your shrimp and come home, flower boy_ ,” Minhyuk’s loud cackle made his wince, “ _We’ll take you to the festival with us next year! You can third-wheel with me and Hyunwoo! He can hold my jacket and you can carry my shopping bags, it’ll be great —_ ”

Hyungwon hung up before anymore damage could be done, switching his phone to silent and shoving it deep into the pocket of his gym shorts. Not that he was going to the gym. Like ever. But they were comfy and he wasn’t trying to impress anyone right now.

He set the takeaway boxes down on a bench nearby, looking left and right down the little street as he sucked his fingers clean of seasoning and spices.

_This isn’t so bad_. Hyungwon thought, feeling unusually at peace.

Physically, he’s never felt more worn, what with his  _eiscent_  milking him for all he’s worth. Some cosmic power in the universe was really testing him, but with moments like this, quiet and soft and sweet, he might be up for the challenge.

Hyungwon looked up around him, the glitter of fairy lights made brighter in the glossy reflection of his eyes. The light breeze carried with it the scent of his  _eiscent_ , and when he closed his eyes, he could almost imagine how beautiful this little lane would look in full bloom. 

_______ 

Hoseok raised an eyebrow, confused, as he lowered his lucky travel booklet from in front of him to reveal a bunch of... trees. 

Plain, bark-covered trees. 

Tall and brown and very, very tree-like.

He raised the booklet to eyelevel again, scanning the page he first saw in his study a few days ago. The photograph in the guide captured “peak blooming season” apparently, where the cherry blossoms in this park would be flourishing at its finest during the springtime of each new year.

Hoseok lowered the booklet again, a little defeated.

_Was this really worth the money for another cab ride home?_

He wandered a little further and felt exhaustion kick him hard in the gut, distracting him from the tingling on his nape, constant and bursting from the surface of his skin. Usually, it’d be one or the other but —

“Where — ” Hoseok licked his lips, pupils dilating as alarm bells went off in his body, “Where are you?”

He ran. 

_______ 

“Fucking —  _oww_! Not again — ” 

Hyungwon has had quite enough of this nonsense, this incessant prickling he’s got going on at the back of his neck all the fucking time. But he was still too pissed off at Minhyuk and his dumb face to push his dignity aside in favor of what little knowledge his roommate may or may not hold about this.

Another sharp, bursting shock was sent through his body, electricity shooting down his spine from the nape of his neck and back up to the hairs on his head. The scent of cherry blossom flowers was so, so  _loud_ , overriding his every thought.

With a frustrated shout, Hyungwon plucked his phone out and hit speed dial, “Come on. Pick up, you little bitch, I know you and Hyunwoo are still awake doing God knows what.”

The dial tone rang once, twice, thrice, before Minhyuk picked up, sounding a little groggy.

“ _Hyungwon? Is everything alright? Why aren’t you home yet —_ ”

 

 “Hi.”

 

Hyungwon froze at the voice coming from behind him, deep and velvety and rich with something that made every nerve in his tired body sing.

He turned around and was met with a man standing a few meters away from him, looking just as worn yet vibrant as ever.

Hyungwon blinked stupidly, “Hello.”

The man blinked back. This smile, big and unabashed and absolutely  _beautiful_ , spread across his face like the sun rising over the horizon.

“Hi,” the man breathed, sounding a little out of breath, laughing softly, “I think... I think you might be my soulmate.”

The breeze stopped blowing, the night air crisp, fresh, and suddenly devoid of any traces of cherry blossom flowers.

 

The world went silent.

 

 

 


	2. satiated and sweet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After his encounter with Hoseok, his eiscent had become nearly undetectable, appearing every once in a while as a muted, floral breeze. The prickling sensation had been ridden of as well, leaving his nape alone for the first time since this whole ordeal began. So seeing that everything returned to normal, why was he still so nervous?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello fellow wonchae supporters! This chapter is a little shorter, and it's still fluffy (sorry, i gotta mentally prepare myself to write smut again), but I hope you like it! Enjoy~

_______

 

Truthfully, Hoseok was so, incredibly lost on where to begin, getting to know your soulmate and all, and he had a feeling his trusty travel guide wouldn't be lending him any help with this one. This was all on him and the beauty sitting across the table - ( _stop getting distracted and say something, Hoseok!_ ). For some, it was easy. Everyone's heard those tales of soulmates meeting during their childhood, growing up together and learning to nurture feelings beyond the friendship they’ve grown accustomed to. But the average person, like himself, meets them later in life as adults.

As strangers.

“So, um.” Hoseok cleared his throat to break the silence, “Tell me about yourself?”

The sizzle of milk foam echoed behind the barista counter, the smell of coffee wafting around the late-night café feeding straight into Hyungwon's nervousness. Every neuron in his brain was set aflame the moment it all went quiet and Hyungwon's not sure he recovered yet. All that's left is a pleasant buzz; in his ears, his chest, his hands, the coffee grinder. He couldn't articulate how he was feeling, but he schooled his face into his usual one of disinterest and sat up straighter in his chair at the question, combing his fingers through his hair so his hand would have something to do.

“Uhh, okay,” Hyungwon felt a little self-conscious with the way Hoseok was staring at him so intently, “My name’s Chae Hyungwon. I’m a 23 year old trapped in the body of a grandpa. I love sleeping, and I live in a shabby apartment a few blocks from here. Oh, and I model when I start running out of things to eat.”

Hoseok nodded and smiled at him, flashing perfect, pearly white teeth, and Hyungwon felt his heart do something weird in his ribcage. He politely returned the question and Hoseok started rambling excitedly, as if it wasn’t almost two in the morning and he didn’t just fly in from Santorini.

“Right! I’m Hoseok. Shin Hoseok. I’m 24 and I work for a marketing firm based in Paris so I travel around a lot...”

After a minute, Hyungwon stopped listening. He hardly even knew this man, learned his name only seconds ago, but the moment he laid eyes on him in the park, something inside him awakened. A little fire sparked in Hyungwon’s belly as he watched Hoseok speaking animatedly. It wasn't sexual - although he imagines someday it could be - but it was passionate, and that was a new experience for him. Something akin to a stomach ache, but instead of pain it was just longing. He had a burning desire to kiss this guy right off his chair, grab onto him and claw at his body until he was satiated and full.

“But yeah, that’s me. Sorry I’m not more interesting, just a plain old businessman.” Hoseok smiled sheepishly, looking to Hyungwon for approval. He'd managed to break a sweat somehow, and decided to shrug off his blazer, folding it carefully over the back of his chair.

Hyungwon hummed, “Hmm, I dunno, I think you’re interesting.”

“Oh! Oh, haha. Thank you,” Hoseok felt himself blushing, panicking at the compliment, “I think you’re beautiful.”

Hyungwon snorted, lips twitching with the effort of preventing a smirk from forming on his face, and Hoseok felt embarrassment hit him like a train. 

“Oh god, sorry, I didn’t mean to just blurt that out,” Hoseok waved his hands in front of him frantically, “I just didn’t know you’d be so _pretty_.”

Hyungwon laughed, loud and uncontained, turning a few heads from the other customers sitting nearby. 

“Not that you look girly! No, wait, what I meant was — agh, I’m making it worse, aren’t I?” Hoseok held his head in his hands, defeated.

“No, no,” Hyungwon giggled, and then thought about the fact that he just fucking _giggled_ , like a damn teenager, “Please keep it coming. I could get used to this."

Hoseok settled down and Hyungwon did too, both relaxing a little into their seats. It felt nice, really nice, the tension bleeding away just as easily as it came. The playful banter kept them at the cafe until closing time, and Hyungwon found himself biting out snarky remarks at all of Hoseok's compliments just to see him blush again.

When they bid their goodnights and the cab dropped Hyungwon off at his apartment complex, Hoseok called out to him just before he went inside, chin resting on his folded arms as he leaned out the car window.

“What?” Hyungwon half-turned, trying so hard to sound annoyed, but the amused smile on his face gave him away.

Hoseok merely shook his head, staring back at him with a look soft and sweet.

“Goodnight, beautiful.”

And the cab sped off, leaving Hyungwon blushing a shade of red that was probably darker than all of Hoseok's blushes combined. Later, when he fell asleep with a cherry blossom pink colouring his cheeks, he decided it was from the warmth of his shower and not because of a certain boring businessman.

_______

 

The next few days were chaos.

Not for him, but for Minhyuk, who after hearing about his early morning escapade, appointed himself Hyungwon’s personal stylist for his “big date with the one.” Hoseok had asked him to dinner that night as they rode home together from the café a few days ago, and apologized about the delay because he'd been wanting to see his mother first and foremost after he landed. They exchanged numbers as they sat parked in front of Hyungwon's apartment and had been talking ever since.

Hyungwon sat on his bed, watching clothing fly out of his closet left and right.

“Minhyuk, please, would you cut it out? I do know how to dress myself. Hello, I’m a model.”

“I’m a model too! And my taste is far better than yours.”

"I take offense to that," Hyungwon scowled, dodging a flying pair or jeans aimed right at his head, "Don't you have things to do?"

Minhyuk popped his head out from behind the closet door, "Yes, this. This is the thing." He dove back in like a dolphin into water, and emerged again with a shirt and belt in hand. "I've done it again. You're very welcome."

This time, he caught the flying garments tossed at him, narrowly escaping a belt buckle to the eye. Every day he wondered why they were friends, wondering the same thing again as he fell back onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Chop chop! What are you doing just sitting around like that?" Minhyuk whined at him, attempting to sound motherly but coming off annoying, like friggin' always, "Over my dead body will I let you nap through your date with 'The One.'"

"Did it hurt?" Hyungwon drawled, chins doubling when he looked at Minhyuk standing at the foot of his bed, "When Hyunwoo-hyung banged your head into the headboard? Because I can't fathom how else you'd be even more irritating than usual."

"Now I take offense. I'm just trying to help!" Minhyk pouted, crossing his arms huffily.

Hyungwon sat up slowly, completely unamused, "I am supposed to meet him at 7PM for dinner."

"Yes! Which is why I'm dressing you up all nice - "

"And what time is it now?"

Minhyuk peeked at the clock, "10 AM."

"Case and point. Goodnight."

And Hyungwon was out like a light again, pulling the covers over his head with a huff, muttering something about installing locks on their bedroom doors for safety reasons, or did he say sanity reasons?

Minhyuk sighed, quietly gathering the outfit he'd picked out for his roommate in his arms, and shut the door behind him with a soft click. He walked back into the living room just as Hyunwoo meandered out of the kitchen, hair sticking up on one side like he'd been licked by a panda, coffee mug in hand.

Hyunwoo took a sip then lowered the mug, voice gruff with sleep, "You need me to iron that?"

"What? No, I can iron it myself!"

"Just hand it over, babe."

Minhyuk pouted for the second time that morning, reluctantly exchanging Hyungwon's clothes for a warm cup of coffee instead. His favorite show was playing on TV, but he couldn't take his eyes off Hyunwoo working so diligently to press and line up the seams of Hyungwon's pants, steam puffing into the air from the iron.

"How 'bout I let you iron my dress shirt later, hmm?" Hyunwoo spoke over his shoulder to Minhyuk, who was perched on the couch.

Minhyuk's eyes lit up, his chest feeling full, and mumbled a reply he thought sounded nonchalant. He was lucky that Hyunwoo had his back facing him, so he wouldn't be able to see the way he was vibrating with glee. Minhyuk clutched the cup of coffee tighter in his hands and willed the hands of the clock above the TV to move faster. One, so that Hyunwoo would finish ironing and come sit next to him already, and two, so that he could see Hyungwon sitting here on this very couch someday, ironing clothes with his soulmate too.

_______

 

After his encounter with Hoseok, his _eiscent_  had become nearly undetectable, appearing every once in a while as a muted, floral breeze. The prickling sensation had been ridden of as well, leaving his nape alone for the first time since this whole ordeal began. So seeing that everything returned to normal, why was he still so nervous?

Hyungwon's knee bounced beneath the table, his fingers twisting together anxiously as he looked around the restaurant. He'd gotten there early for once, because two hours ago, Minhyuk was quite literally shoving him into his clothes and out the door, chastising him about traffic on a Friday night and how he had no concept of the word "punctuality." And when he argued back that Hoseok wasn't really going anywhere anytime soon because he was his _soulmate_ and they were sort of stuck together for life, Minhyuk's usual bright smile morphed into a frown and he slammed the door shut in his face.

Every minute that passed, he felt sillier, sitting there alone for almost half an hour waiting for Hoseok to walk in. Hyungwon was about to head to the bathroom to splash his face with water when he heard someone call out his name from behind.

"Hyungwon!"

A flush rose quickly to Hyungwon's cheeks, the tips of his ears burning at how ridiculous he was being, getting all shy and shaky just because the other man said his god damn name. He could literally feel his heart thumping in his chest. _Da dum, da dum, da dum_. With haste, Hyungwon popped open another button of his shirt, fixing his hair, and pivoted in his seat to see Hoseok wading his way through the other tables, murmuring his apologies when he squeezed through.

"Hi," Hoseok came up to him sounding a little out of breath, sitting down with a sigh, "Sorry I'm late. I jumped out of my cab a few blocks from here because the traffic was so bad."

Hyungwon smiled and pushed a lie through his teeth, for the sake of his dignity, "No, it's alright. I just got here too."

"Oh really? Okay good." Hoseok smiled, relief gracing his features. He made a short "ahh" sound, as if he'd just remembered something, and brandished from behind his back a bouquet of red roses, "These are for you."

"Wow, what's next? A bottle of champagne? Fireworks?" Hyungwon grinned as he reached out and took the flowers from Hoseok's hand. The deep red petals felt soft between his fingers as he stroked them, admiring them shortly.

"Am I that predictable? Seems like you've got me all figured out." Hoseok grinned, giving him that look again, the one that made him turn every shade of pink. He was calmer this time around, like he was in his element, and that threw Hyungwon for a loop because last time, it was Hoseok who was all jittery. But now it was him.

_God, this was going to be a long night_. Hyungwon thought, wanting to hide behind his roses, give himself a minute to rid of the giddy feeling running rampant through his body. _Get your shit together, Hyungwon, it's just dinner._

"I'll give you a chance to surprise me," he met Hoseok's gaze with confidence, "Let's see if you have good taste in food as well."

"I have good taste in everything." Hoseok chuckled, looking off to his left to signal the waiter over with a smooth wave of his fingers. He turned back to Hyungwon, eyes glinting playfully, "Especially people."

Hyungwon rolled his eyes, scoffing with a smile, "Brilliant."

When the waiter strolled up beside them, Hoseok took it upon himself to handle every little detail, leading the dinner with such grace and confidence that Hyungwon wondered where the bumbling man he'd met before had gone. It was only when Hoseok nearly knocked the bucket of ice holding their champagne off the table with his elbow as he was explaining a particularly vicious business deal, did Hyungwon feel more at ease. Although that might have something to do with the whole bottle of bubbly they polished off halfway through the meal.

The lights in the restaurant dimmed as the night went on. With every course, every bite and sip, the aching and longing that  _eiscents_  characteristically left behind slowly dissipated. Hyungwon's cheeks hurt so much from laughing so hard, eyes all scrunched up into little crescents as Hoseok told him more stories. Maybe it was the haze of alcohol or maybe it was him, but Hyungwon couldn't stop himself from staring, soaking up even the smallest things about the older man, from his head to his toes. Hoseok had shrugged off his navy blue blazer somewhere around course three, and Hyungwon would be lying if he said his eyes didn’t follow the impressive curve of Hoseok’s biceps more than once. He could tell Hoseok was eyeing him too, eyes falling on Hyungwon's lips longer and longer with every flute he finished.

"So," Hoseok leaned forward onto the table, "Tell me about your relationships before, you know, me."

Hyungwon leaned back, swirling his champagne around, "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Absolutely. I'll try to refrain from getting jealous," Hoseok teased.

"Suit yourself," he shrugged, took a sip, and set the flute down on the white table cloth gingerly, "I only had two others, at least two others that I count."

"Go on."

"One was a girl, in college. She was my best friend, and we were together for almost four years. I think we both began realizing we, as people, weren't compatible no matter how much we loved each other. So we split. And the second one was a guy. We were just in different places in life, and I broke it off because after the first year I didn't see how we'd be able to grow together."

Hoseok hummed, as if he was pondering Hyungwon's words in his head.

"What about you?"

"One. Just one," Hoseok spoke around the rim of his glass, holding up a finger for emphasis, "She was my noona, my boss actually."

Hyungwon gasped, in every way mocking, a hand coming up to cover his mouth, "Wow, this one plays dirty, huh? Sleeping your way to the top?"

"No no, I'm serious," Hoseok waved him off, lips stretching wider at Hyungwon's scandalized expression, "I loved her before she became my boss."

"If you say so." Hyungwon drawled, "Good taste in people, my ass."

“You still dont believe me?”

“Sleeping with your boss isn’t the fairy tale love story you should be using to convince me of your impeccable taste in partners.”

“Alright, then, what about you?”

Hyungwon stopped, glass paused mid-tilt, the golden-colored bubbly just skimming his lips, “Sorry?”

“I’d like to think you’d be a significant other of mine someday. Did pretty well in finding you, didn’t I?”

Hoseok looked him dead in the eyes, his stare intense yet soft, and without the softened slope of his posture, Hyungwon would have thought he was being interrogated. But even so, the strength Hoseok presents himself with is never unaccompanied by vulnerability, and this is what makes Hyungwon's racing thoughts slow enough to respond.

“Someday?” Hyungwon asked, “When is someday supposed to be?”

Tension in the little space between them stretched taught like a string and both of them played the pause, the chatter of the other restaurant guests in the background filling the silence before Hoseok spoke.

“Right now.”

The certainty in the tone of his voice made a shiver run up Hyungwon’s spine, warm and cool at the same time. The older continued.

“I’ve waited my whole life to meet you and I’m not about to waste another second watching you doubt what I feel for you. For us.”

Hyungwon slowly let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding, “And what is it you feel for me?”

Hoseok's eyes shined so brightly even in the dimness of the dining room, and the way Hyungwon felt with Hoseok holding his gaze like that, like he was the only one in this whole restaurant, made him feel breathless all over again.

“Everything.”

_Da dum, da dum, da dum_.

_______

 

Hoseok's realized by now that _eiscents_ were peculiar, astronomically unpredictable things.

They could be secreted due to stress, or exhaustion, or even hunger. 

They'd just finished dinner an hour ago so their appetite was out of the question, and although the jetlag was kicking his ass, he wasn't nearly as exhausted as he was when he was working. With Hyungwon by his side, he's never felt more relaxed, especially after breaking the ice tonight (or more accurately, almost knocking the ice over).

Consequently, the familiar scent of cherry blossoms wafting off the both of them suddenly was too much to handle being trapped in a car, so instead of a drive, Hoseok suggested they take a midnight walk, in the very place they met each other. The lane glowed from the same sparkling lights again, but he had a feeling nothing could compare to the trees' natural, blossoming beauty. The wind would blow and pink petals would fall and whisk themselves away, but tonight, the air was stagnant and chilly.

Hoseok shoved his hands in his pockets, trying to hide his shivering since he'd loaned his blazer to Hyungwon when they stepped outside. With him being so broad, it absolutely swallowed Hyungwon's body when he draped it over shoulders much more narrow than his own, but watching the younger man fight to keep the smile off his face when he did so was worth being cold.

"At least our _eiscent_ is nice," Hyungwon looked up at the barren branches again, "When my friend started releasing his, he smelled like a trash. Like literal garbage."

"How long did it take to find his soulmate?"

"6 months."

Hoseok winced, "Oof, that's terrible. Must've been a long 6 months."

"Right? Imagine kissing your soulmate for the first time and tasting rotten bananas," Hyungwon's lips curved in disgust, "I would gag."

Hoseok shrugged, "Hard for me to imagine that."

With Hoseok's voice behind him now, Hyungwon stopped and turned around to face the other man.

"I suppose it would be hard for anyone to imagine kissing a garbage can," he pulled the blazer tighter around him, the sleeves flimsy without his arms in them.

"No, I mean," Hoseok cleared his throat, shifting in place, "I mean - uhh - "

Hyungwon stepped closer, "Yes?"

Here we go again. He was trying so hard tonight to keep calm and collected so he could show Hyungwon a different side of him than the nervous school boy who's just confessed to his crush, like the first night they met. But with Hyungwon looking so damn _gorgeous_ all the time, not to mention how darling he looked all bundled up in his blazer, it was just so easy to trip over his words and fumble.

"I meant like," he gulped, fingers clenching nervously in his pockets, "I bet you would taste better than a garbage can."

Hyungwon's eyes widened, lips parted, blinking at him, "What?" 

_God, what are you even saying? You're a 24 year old man and that's the best you've got?_ Hoseok smacked himself internally and added more fuel to the fire.

"It's just that you know, you're like mine now, so I don't have to imagine kissing anyone else and what they would taste like. I only have to think about what you would taste like. Not that I've been thinking about that the whole night!"

Hyungwon began smirking, biting his lip to stop himself. His long fingers curled around the edges of the navy blue fabric keeping him warm, playing with it as he watched Hoseok flounder.

"Jesus, this is ruining everything," Hoseok closed his eyes to take a deep breath, and after he let it out, he opened his eyes to see Hyungwon stopped right in front of him, faces close.

"Well," Hyungwon's looked down at him, voice low, as if he was telling a secret no one else should hear, "Now's your chance to find out."

"Find out what?" Hoseok's mind was moving at million miles a minute even being so close to the younger man.

Hyungwon smiled, coy and pretty, tongue darting out to lick his lips so they shined, "What I taste like."

There was a beat of quiet and Hoseok used it to regain his composure. All those nights laying in bed waiting for this moment never did anything to actually prepare him for it. As a child, he hoped his soulmate's kiss would taste like barbeque because he loved,and still loves the taste of grilled meat. But here and now, with Hyungwon standing there, looking even more beautiful than Hoseok felt he ever deserved, his childhood seemed so far away.

He stepped forward and carefully placed a hand against Hyungwon's jaw, the other curling around his small waist, pulling him in. His heart raced as their noses brushed together, feeling the warmth of the younger's breath splay across his lips, already so sweet. And with a final tug, Hoseok tilted his chin up and kissed him, feeling Hyungwon's plush lips slip perfectly between his own. The taste of sakura blossoms rushed through him, but he could hardly tell, drowning in the feeling of Hyungwon all around him, pressing against him, blazer falling to the ground as he curled his arms around Hoseok’s shoulders. The sound of their lips moving slick and smooth against each other made Hoseok hold the younger tighter, drag him in so he could kiss him deeper, harder, maybe press his tongue against Hyungwon's and taste the sweetness some more. He pulled away only to catch a breath, pressing kisses against Hyungwon's jaw up to his ear, then back down to his lips where he could feel the wet, warmth of Hyungwon's mouth again.

Hyungwon made the softest, pleased little sounds in the back of his throat as they kissed, and Hoseok started noticing heat rise high in his body and pool low in his pelvis, tongue delving deeper to coax out another sound from Hyungwon. He never wanted this to end, and he wasn't sure how long they stood there, tasting cherry blossoms, pushing and pulling each other for more, but it was Hyungwon who pulled away eventually, breathless and laughing.

"What's so funny?" Hoseok whispered, pressing his forehead to Hyungwon's, his head still swimming from the kiss.

Hyungwon bit his reddened lips, always trying to hide his delight, "You call that a taste?"

"I'm thinking of it more like the sixth course of our meal." He gave a shrug, squeezing Hyungwon's waist, "But on another note, I have confirmed my great taste in people."

"Have you now?" Hyungwon raised his eyebrows, tone sarcastic.

"I'd like to confirm it again, if you don't mind." Hoseok flashed a cheeky grin, licking his lips.

This time, Hyungwon didn't bother to hide his amusement, nodding shortly, and let Hoseok drag him down into another kiss, gentler but still just as snug. As they stood there, Hoseok vowed to reject every cherry blossom-flavored sweet or dessert he received in the future because with someone as sweet as Hyungwon here in his arms, he knew nothing in the world would ever be able to compare anymore.

_______

 

"Oh, good morning, Hyungwon. How was your date?" Hyunwoo asked the next day when they were in the kitchen making breakfast.

Hyungwon hid his smile in the fridge as he looked for the carton of eggs, and when he emerged, he answered Hyunwoo with the straightest face he could manage.

" _Tasty_."

Hyunwoo frowned into his pancakes, "Gross."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anybody else still crying over the hyungwonho moments from The Connect Encore concerts? Because I AM AND I HAVEN'T STOPPED. Anyways, thank you for reading :) This might turn into 4 chapters, but definitely expect some sexy times in the next one (finally). Thanks for reading, have a lovely day <3


	3. flicker and flare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Does it all disappear?” Hoseok interjected, “The love?” 
> 
> Love.
> 
> Hyungwon’s heart skipped a beat, clenching tight in his ribcage, quickening its pace. The ambient sounds of the world grew louder. He could feel every fiber of his clothing brushing against his skin. 
> 
> Hoseok loves me? Hyungwon thought.

Turns out, Minhyuk’s wish came true.

Though when he wished for Hyungwon and Hoseok to happily bask in their newfound love, he was picturing something less... _naked_.

“Gross,” Hyunwoo winced, turning away, “You two are truly insatiable.” 

Hyunwoo continued into the kitchen, grumbling sleepily. Minhyuk remained still, frozen in place with wide eyes focused on Hyungwon and Hoseok positively defiling their couch. 

Hoseok lolled his head back against the couch cushions, “Insatiable is –  _oh god, that feels so_ _good_ \- an understatement, Hyunwoo.” 

With a loud, wet  _pop_ , Hyungwon emerged, smirking as he dragged the back of his hand across his lips. 

“Don’t be fussy just because Minhyuk hasn’t taken care of your morning wood yet!" Hyungwon called out toward the kitchen. 

Hyunwoo heaved an exasperated sigh, and Hyungwon grinned proudly knowing he needn’t say more. 

“Oh, hey, Hyungwon,” Minhyuk tapped twice at the corner of his lips, “You’ve still got some cum on your face.” 

Hyungwon thumbed away any remaining evidence of his and Hoseok’s morning escapades. Minhyuk smiled and gave him a thumbs up, then scratched his butt into the kitchen, loudly chattering away about pancakes and bacon. 

Hoseok looked down at Hyungwon kneeling on the floor between his legs, “Still hungry for breakfast?” 

Hyungwon licked his lips and shimmied down between Hoseok’s muscular thighs again. 

“Always.” 

Soon enough, Hoseok’s amused laughter quieted into hoarse whispers, and all parties in the apartment resumed their regularly scheduled activities. 

This is how most of their mornings went, lazing around either Hyungwon’s apartment or Hoseok’s hotel room. Whether it was rolling around in bed or walking through the supermarket, every detailed moment of each day seemed so natural with Hoseok by his side.  

In retrospect, his life before Hoseok hardly seemed like life at all, at least not compared to the life he led now. Hoseok painted his world anew, like watercolor paint bleeding across a blank canvas. As if a camera finally focused on the object behind the lens, every line, shadow, and color took on a clarity unparalleled. The focal point of his world came into view. 

Hyungwon decided very quickly that with a view like Hoseok, he never wanted to look away ever again. 

“I told you, guys, right?” Hoseok mumbled around a mouthful of pancakes, “I’ve had a lot of pancakes in my life, but these – these are  _fucking_ awesome.” 

Hyungwon’s gaze shifted left, seeing Hyunwoo grin all toothy and bashful from Hoseok’s compliment, then shifted across the table to Hoseok happily vacuuming his breakfast from his plate. 

Yeah, the view was  _fucking_  awesome. 

 _________ 

The skies were speckled with wisps of clouds when Hoseok looked out his car window. The sun hid behind towering buildings, peeking out and warming his skin as their taxi drove through the city. 

“Hoseok?” Hyungwon fidgeted in his seat, “Do I look okay? I have the Armani piece back at home. Maybe we should turn around so I can change.” 

Hoseok turned and looked at Hyungwon sitting with him in the backseat. Hyungwon’s round, dark eyes were filled with uncertainty and doubt as they stared back at him, but even then, they were still so marvelously enchanting. 

 _Change?_ Hoseok thought to himself.  

Hyungwon was absolutely, impossibly, agonizingly  _beautiful_.  

What could there possibly be to change? 

“No, you look perfect,” Hoseok smiled brightly, offering his hand to Hyungwon. 

“I wish I felt perfect,” Hyungwon gently placed his hand in Hoseok’s, “I haven’t been this nervous since my first photoshoot.” 

“There’s nothing to be nervous about.” 

“Easy for you to say. You’re her son.” 

“And the moment she meets you, you will be too,” Hoseok squeezed Hyungwon’s fingers reassuringly. 

There was a light, squeezing pressure around his knuckles as Hyungwon returned his gesture and acknowledged his words. Hoseok settled into his seat again, staring up at the sky. 

He wondered if the world always looked this bright, if the city always breathed so peacefully. Hoseok cracked his window and took in a breath of fresh air, his hair ruffling in the wind as their taxi maneuvered through traffic. 

He spent his childhood here, in a town not too far from the city, where his mother still resided. The city was very obviously big, but even as a child, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was so much more waiting to be discovered. So, after he graduated university, he moved to Paris. 

Paris promised him the future he desired. It gave him the world he so longed to see. 

Hoseok peeked at Hyungwon from the corner of his eye, squeezing Hyungwon’s thin fingers tangled between his stubbier ones. He watched a soft smile bloom on Hyungwon’s face and wondered if he hadn’t left, would he have seen this smile sooner?  

With even the slightest of gestures, the softest of smiles, Hyungwon made him feel invincible. As if he could hold the whole world in the palm of his hand. 

The taxi slowed and pulled over as they neared their destination. 

Hoseok squeezed Hyungwon’s hand again, this time more for himself, and smiled as he felt his whole world squeezing right back. He turned to Hyungwon.  

“Ready?” 

Hyungwon nodded firmly, “Ready.” 

 _______ 

“Mother!” 

Hyungwon felt Hoseok’s hand on the small of his back gently ushering him forward, his free hand waving at his mother a short distance away. 

“Hoseok,” the woman smiled, her eyes turning up into pretty crescents. 

Their smiles were similar. Hoseok’s and his mom’s. Hyungwon could see from where Hoseok acquired his dazzling features. It was so very clear that the apple did not fall far from the tree, and as the three of them enjoyed lunch, this fact became even clearer. 

“So, Hyungwon,” Hoseok’s mother started, her knife and fork clicking against her plate as she gingerly sliced through her food, “How exactly did you and Hoseok meet again? Tell me all about it.” 

“Mother, I’ve already told you,” Hoseok huffed a laugh, taking a drink, “We met how every other couple meets these days.” 

“Of course, of course, these magical  _eiscent_  thingys. But give me the details. It’s been so long, Hoseok. I don’t think I can remember my own anymore. Hyungwon, do tell me, what was yours?” 

“Cherry blossoms,” Hyungwon smiled at her, “We were lucky. I’ve had some friends who had horrible  _eiscents_.” 

“Lucky, indeed,” Hoseok grinned, a hand sneaking beneath the table to stroke over Hyungwon’s knee, and Hyungwon smacked it away half-heartedly, clearing his throat. 

“Mrs. Shin, you said you don’t remember yours anymore. Is it alright to ask why?” 

“It’s perfectly fine to ask,” she waved her hand, dismissing Hyungwon’s hesitation, “As you grow older, your  _eiscent_  will fade just like mine did. They dissipate and die, much like every other living thing. We don’t know why or how, but personally, I think it’s a good thing.”  

Hoseok spoke up, “Why?” 

“As you two mature, you will learn that these  _eiscents_ are not what brought you to one another,” she reached out for both their hands, “It is both of your existence’s in this vast universe that provided the  _eiscents_  a reason to bloom. Without you both, without you both  _together_ , they would cease to exist.” 

Hyungwon continued to listen and Hoseok did the same, holding his mother’s hand tight. 

“With time comes growth and you will no longer need those cherry blossoms to guide you through your lives. I think in a way, the  _eiscents_  know that too. They know they are no longer needed. After they’ve opened your eyes and your hearts to the truth you’ve always known, they disappear.” 

“Does it all disappear?” Hoseok interjected, “The love?” 

 _Love_.  

Hyungwon’s heart skipped a beat, clenching tight in his ribcage, quickening its pace. The ambient sounds of the world grew louder. He could feel every fiber of his clothing brushing against his skin. 

 _Hoseok loves me?_ Hyungwon thought. 

A part of him knew this to be true. They were soulmates. Love was part of the deal. 

However, hearing it from Hoseok’s lips, even if it wasn’t directed at him, Hyungwon felt it. The love. It resonated through Hyungwon’s every nerve and short-circuited the wires that kept his body functioning, reconfiguring and accommodating for Hoseok’s existence. 

“With you two, Hoseok?” She laughed softly, shaking her head, “I don’t think that’s even possible.” 

Later that night when they returned to Hoseok’s hotel, Hyungwon couldn’t stop himself from smiling. Hoseok nudged him in the elevator, pushed him up against its walls and trailed wet kisses up and down his neck to try and prod an answer out of him. 

“Oh, come onnn,” Hoseok whined, loosening his tie with a finger looped through the top of the knot, “Just tell me already. You can’t just keep smiling forever.” 

Hyungwon wiggled out of his shoes, neatly placed them beside the door, and walked over to Hoseok, replacing Hoseok’s fingers with his own where they were fiddling with his tie. He looked down into Hoseok’s eyes, slowly sliding the thin fabric out from under itself. 

“When you asked if it disappeared, the love. It had me wondering,” Hyungwon smiled, a little smug, “Wouldn’t the love have to be there to begin with for it to disappear?” 

“Beautiful and smart,” Hoseok’s eyebrows raised, a smirk forming on his lips, “You are absolutely correct.” 

“Correct about what?” Hyungwon pressed, hands curled around the two loose ends of the tie hanging from Hoseok’s neck, “Tell me.” 

Hyungwon tugged Hoseok closer by the silken fabric, impatience getting the better of him now that they were alone, their faces so close Hyungwon could feel the warmth of Hoseok’s breath on his lips. 

“The love,” Hoseok breathed, voice deep and rumbly enough to send chills down Hyungwon’s spine, “It’s been there since the moment I laid eyes on you.” 

Hyungwon’s breath hitched, sounding loud in the quiet of the hotel room. 

“Is that the truth?” Hyungwon licked his lips, his heart beating so loudly in his chest he was sure Hoseok could hear it, “That you’ve loved me ever since?” 

“Like my mother said,” Hoseok slid his arms around Hyungwon’s waist, pulling them flush, their lips barely brushing as he spoke, “It’s simply a truth I’ve always known but never realized until I saw you that day.” 

Hyungwon couldn’t take it anymore. He leaned down and crushed their lips together, rough enough for their teeth to clash, but Hyungwon didn’t feel any pain. 

No, all he could feel was love. 

 _______ 

Hoseok was a gentle lover, but passionate and purposeful in his ways. 

The way he held Hyungwon close as they moved together, holding Hyungwon’s small waist in his hands as he helped Hyungwon rise and fall on top of him over and over. He watched every facial expression, listened to every sound, and reveled in his own name falling from Hyungwon’s lips followed by a breathless plea. 

When Hoseok lifted Hyungwon’s long legs over his shoulders and pressed him down into the bedsheets, he looked down into those alluring eyes staring up at him so intensely, drowning in them. He pressed his lips to Hyungwon’s, their lips sliding together smooth and wet as his tongue delved past plump lips to taste the sweetness Hyungwon always offered. He buried his face in Hyungwon’s neck, listening to him wail, feeling him tremble around him. 

Hyungwon felt so good, so hot, so incredibly  _divine_  that it made Hoseok dizzy. His thoughts blurred together, every ounce of his consciousness consumed by the man lying beneath him. Blunt nails bit into the bulging muscles of his back as he rolled his hips against Hyungwon’s ass, harder, faster, with more fervor. 

“Hoseok, I – I’m going to - ” Hyungwon gasped, ragged and out of breath. 

“Let go, Hyungwon,” Hoseok grunted, his pace unrelenting, “Let g- go, baby, I’ve got you.” 

Hyungwon came with a shout, thighs shaking so hard it made Hoseok’s rhythm falter. He fisted his hands tight in Hoseok’s dark hair, whimpering softly with every brutal thrust as he rode out his own pleasure still ravaging his body. 

Hyungwon held Hoseok’s head in both hands and whispered, sweetly, breathlessly in his ear. 

“I love you, too, Hoseok.” 

Hoseok pushed in once more and finished with a groan, panting hard against Hyungwon’s throat as he eased himself through the aftershocks. His hips rolled languidly against Hyungwon’s supple cheeks, relishing in the feeling of Hyungwon squeezing around him before sensitivity took over.  

He pulled away, just enough to look at Hyungwon, and smiled blissfully. 

“I know.” 

 _______ 

The next morning, Hoseok woke up to the smell of something burning. 

He bolted upright in bed and rushed out into the living room to see Hyungwon standing over the stove with a smoking pan. 

“Hyungwon! What are you doing?” Hoseok shouted over the obnoxious beeping of the smoke detector, wafting away the black clouds with his hands as he made his way over to the balcony window. 

He shoved the door open and fresh air flooded the room, the smoke clearing little by little to make way for sunlight instead. Hoseok turned and saw Hyungwon still standing by the stove, spatula in one hand and pan handle in the other. 

“Hyungwon, what’s going on?” Hoseok stood next to him, observing the mess, “What were you trying to make?” 

Hyungwon frowned down at the blackened mess in his frying pan. 

“Pancakes.” 

Hoseok blinked, “Yes, but with what ingredients? I have a box of pre-made mix in the cabinet.” 

Hyungwon pointed to a bowl of seemingly normal batter sitting next to a plethora of different raw ingredients, an assortment of white powders smeared all across the counter. Hoseok dipped a finger into the batter and sucked it clean, grimacing at the taste. 

“Hyungwon,” Hoseok said slowly, “I think you might’ve switched the amount of flour with the amount of sugar. No wonder it burned so fast.” 

“Shit nuggets,” Hyungwon grumbled, “Now what do I do with all this batter.” 

Hoseok snorted, “I think the safest play would be to abandon it and order room service.” 

“Good idea.” 

They ordered pancakes anyways, ignoring the judgmental look the hotel staff gave them as they wheeled their breakfast in on a cart and witnessed the state of Hoseok’s kitchenette. 

Hoseok looked at Hyungwon eating beside him in bed, watching him cut little pieces off each layer of his pancake stack before dunking it in syrup and pushing it past his plump lips. 

“How’s it?” Hoseok grinned. 

“Better,” Hyungwon nodded in approval, cheeks full as he talked between chews, “You?” 

Hoseok leaned over and kissed Hyungwon on the nose affectionately. 

“Much better.” 

 _______ 

“So, how was meeting Mama Shin?” 

After breakfast, Hoseok dropped Hyungwon at his apartment in time for him to prepare for a photoshoot later that afternoon. Minhyuk sprawled across his bed (uninvited), delegating which belts he should bring to the shoot (also uninvited). 

“It was fine,” Hyungwon replied, juggling a few shirts in his arms, “We talked a lot about  _eiscents_.” 

Minhyuk rolled over onto his tummy, cheek in his palm, “Oh? What about them?” 

“I dunno. She said they disappear.” Hyungwon felt his heart sink a little, “They fade with time, and after a while you won’t sense them at all.” 

“Well  _duhh_ ,” Minhyuk drawled, rolling his eyes, “What, you think they’re supposed to follow us around forever?” 

Hyungwon threw a glare over his shoulder, “No. How was I supposed to know?” 

“They just... leave, you know?” Minhyuk rolled over again, staring up at the ceiling, “We don’t really need them anymore after we’ve found our soulmate. I mean, have you gotten a whiff of mine in the past few years?" 

“No.” 

“Exactly.” 

Hyungwon paused to think, staring into his closet at the belt he chose and the one Minhyuk picked out for him. Black with silver buckling versus light brown with gold buckling. Not that he’d pay much attention to someone else’s  _eiscents_  even when he did smell them, but Minhyuk’s right, he hasn’t smelled any citrusy notes wafting around their apartment for at least the past year. 

Before Minhyuk found Hyunwoo, he used to come home from class reeking of oranges and lemons and tangerines. He’d cry during their photoshoots together and his makeup would stream black down his face, complaining to every person on set about how he wanted to meet his perfect someone. Then Hyunwoo appeared, thankfully, and everyone couldn’t have been happier.  

While the citrus scent persisted, Minhyuk’s whining about dying alone didn’t. 

It’s been awhile since then though. 

“Hoseok, he – ” Hyungwon fingered the leather belts hanging in front of him, “He seemed worried about the fading part. He asked his mother if everything fades with the  _eiscents_ , including the love.” 

Minhyuk hummed thoughtfully, “Are you worried about it fading? The love?” 

“Forever is a long time, Min, who knows what could happen,” Hyungwon sighed, “I don’t know what I’m doing. It’s only been a week yet I feel this way about him. It feels too fast and too slow, and I just – I'm not good at handling these things.” 

“Well, you’re not alone, and you’re not in any rush,” Minhyuk replied, “You have Hoseok, me, and Hyunwoo. You have forever to get better at handling these things, and Hoseok will be by your side every step of the way.” 

“I know. It’s just – ” Hyungwon took hold of the leather dangling in front of him, nails digging into his palm as he tightened his fist, “Everything feels out of my control.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I feel like it’s these things, these  _eiscents_ , they’re selfish. They appear, tell you who to love, and expect you to live with it without telling you how,” Hyungwon turned around, frustration building in his gut. 

Minhyuk sat cross-legged on his bed, nodding silently, and urged him to continue. 

“It’s like it has us under some sick spell and our body’s on auto-pilot,” Hyungwon ran a hand through his hair, gripping the back of his neck, “I just want to love Hoseok in my own way, in a way I know how, without being slave to these  _things_  dictating my feelings and thoughts.” 

Minhyuk stayed silent for a moment, letting the air around them settle, before speaking. 

“I don’t think you're slave to these things at all,” Minhyuk looked at Hyungwon standing across the room, “You know you deserve each other and that you are both worthy of each other’s love, regardless of the  _eiscents_  bringing you together. The love just takes some getting used to. Love isn’t supposed to be easy. Finding it is the easy part, but keeping it is even harder.” 

“It shouldn’t be hard at all. Not if you really love them,” Hyungwon’s eyebrows furrowed together. 

“You know,” Minhyuk smiled, small and soft, “I think you’re gonna be just fine.” 

Hyungwon felt the knot in his chest loosen, unravelling slowly, the tension in his muscles dissipating as he relaxed. Maybe he should talk to Minhyuk more often. 

“Thanks,” Hyungwon replied, holding up the brown belt Minhyuk chose, “For everything.” 

“Of course,” Minhyuk smiled brightly, “Now go to the photoshoot and take some sexy nudes to send to your honey.” 

Hyungwon snorted, smiling with a roll of his eyes as he stuffed the belt into his bag and made his way out of the apartment. He slid his phone out of his back pocket and typed out a quick message as he rode the elevator down. 

 

 **Hyungwonnie <3, ** **_15:34_ **  

hey, I just wanted to tell you that 

i love you 

wanna grab dinner after im done? 

on me 

 **Hoseok-hyung,** **_15:36_ **  

I love you, too, Hyungwon :) 

I’ll pick you up, just text me when 

 

 **Hyungwonnie <3, ** **_15:38_ **  

:)

Hoseok clicked his phone off and returned his attention to his laptop screen.  

 

* * *

  **[** _Flight #115FZ  _ | _Business Class  _| _Seat 3A_   **]** __

_Departure from Seoul, Incheon_ | _29 August 2019_ | _17:20_   **||**   _Arrival in Paris, France_ | _30 August 2019_ | _10:45_  

 

 _You have a flight booked in 2 days!_  

 _Please take care to follow the guidelines regarding checked bags and carry-ons._  

 _We wish you a safe journey, Mr. Shin._  

* * *

 

Hoseok heaved a long sigh, seeing the bedsheets beside him still tousled from Hyungwon sleeping their that morning.

“A journey this will be.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed! I lied, probably 1 or 2 more chapters :) 
> 
> Psst, Changkyun makes a comeback next chapter (finally)! His character is inspired by my best friend, I'll call her "A." She's supported me through everything and I'll forever be in debt to her. I've been busy in my personal life striving for my goals so I've been away for awhile, but thanks to all the support and love from my family and friends, I can proudly say I've been accepted to medical school! Dreams really do come true :)
> 
> Anyways, I love Hyungwon and Changkyun's friendship; it's so pure and silly and wholesome.
> 
> I'll update soon! Have a great day~

**Author's Note:**

> This work is largely the product of a young girl figuring out how to love and what it all means. Hyungwon and Hoseok are so special to me and to each other. Hope you all enjoy :)


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